Which change occurs in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure during aortic stenosis?

In the context of aortic stenosis, it is important to understand the hemodynamic changes that occur due to the obstruction of blood flow from the left ventricle into the aorta. Aortic stenosis leads to a pressure gradient between the left ventricle and the aorta, resulting in left ventricular hypertrophy as the heart works harder to pump blood through the narrowed valve.

As the left ventricle faces increased afterload due to the stenosis, it is not able to efficiently eject blood into the aorta. This causes elevated pressures in the left ventricle, which subsequently lead to increased pressures in the left atrium and pulmonary veins. The pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) reflects the pressure in the left atrium and indirectly indicates the pressure in the pulmonary circulation.

Therefore, in patients with aortic stenosis, the increased pressure in the left atrium from the left ventricle leads to a corresponding increase in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure. This elevation in PCWP can indicate the presence of pulmonary congestion and is consistent with the volume overload situations that arise as a consequence of the strained cardiac output in aortic stenosis.

Thus, it is correct to say that pulmonary capillary wedge pressure increases in a